Leap 2! The Top of the World
Note: This article is under construction and is subject to change. Also, please do not edit the page without permission of the author, HyperFlowey. Leap 2! The Top of the World (known as Ballerina 2: New Dreams in territories outside the United States and translated from French as Ballerina 2: Dreams of the World) is a American-Canadian-French 2024 3D computer-animated musical adventure film. It was produced by Quad Productions and L'Atelier Animation and distributed by Gaumont and Chronoarts. It is the sequel to the 2016-2017 animated movie Leap! (Ballerina), and was released in theaters worldwide on June 23, 2024. and features returning staff members such as directors Éric Summer and Éric Warin, co-writer Laurent Zeitoun and writer Raymond Boucher, who makes his movie debut. Soundtrack composer Klaus Badelt returns to produce the film score, this time joined by songwriter Lin-Minuel Miranda, who contributes songs dedicated to the film's characters and scenes à la Disney's animated features. The story takes place one and a half years after the original movie, and involves protagonists Félicie and Victor traveling with the latter's long-lost friend Hubert and participating in a worldwide talent competition. Most of the original voice cast from the previous film such as Elle Fanning, Maddie Ziegler, Carly Rae Jepsen and Kate McKinnon reprise their original characters. However, new actors make an appearance in the film such as Jadon Sand (who replaces Dane DaHaan and Nat Wolff as Victor), Emma Watson, Gael García Bernal, and James Earl Jones. Raymond Boucher also stars in the voice role of the deuteragonist Hubert. Plot The movie begins with an introduction by Félicie summarizing the events of the first movie, before transitioning to summer of 1881, one and a half years later. The now 13-year old orphans Félicie the ballerina and Victor the genius inventor are paid a visit by Hubert, a journalist and long-time friend of Victor, who invites them to a public meeting at the Concorde square. They along with Odette, foster mother of Félicie and Victor, gather at the square and learn of the European Invitational Dream Competition from its top staff members Eugene Lateur, Dimitri Nilovich Rankovsky II, and Sir Gregory Innes. Excited to show their passions around the world, Félicie and Victor are the first to register as competitors. After one week of training with the aid of dance master Louis Mérante and Camille, Félicie's former dance rival, Félicie departs with Victor, Hubert, and Matty (Victor's engineering partner) to England, the first country to host the competition. The youthful band of competitors form their "Dream Team", with Hubert as their chaperone. Upon arriving at London, England, the Dream Team crosses paths with two twin musicians Viola, a violinist, and Alice, a pianist, in addition to competing Spanish artist Samuel, who begins a rivalry with Victor. Félicie easily makes friends with Alice and Viola and learns folk dancing, while Samuel challenges Victor's patience and dedication to the point of pulling pranks and outright sabotaging the young genius' projects. Félicie succeeds in the dancing contests, Viola and Alice win first place in the folk music contests; unfortunately, Victor and Matty score a measly fourth place in the engineering contests. As a result of his pride being wounded, the inventor grows bitter towards Samuel and his charisma and feels doubtful of his own talents when compared to his friends. Unbeknownst to everyone, EIDC chief director Dimitri goes missing for unknown reasons. At the end of the first week of the competition, a crime boss named Desperado and his mafia gang Los Desperados Perfectos break Régine Le Haut out of prison. Vengeful, she and Desperado strike a deal that the latter and his partners will become the most powerful criminals in the world if they hunt down and assassinate "the two orphans who tarnished her fame". The competition travels to Rome, Italy, on the second week. Victor is determined not to let Samuel keep him down, but the conceited artist's pride for Rome's famous art and architecture irritates him. Hubert attempts to help his friend by trying to get Samuel to know the team better. After a few days, Samuel invites Félicie to a romantic dinner, which ends up hurting Victor's feelings, causing him to withdraw himself from others. On the day of the semi-final contests, Félicie dances an abridged version of the ballet Giselle and is praised by the audience and judges. Suddenly, Régine, Desperado and his criminal gang attack and pursue Félicie. With encouragement from Hubert and Matty that Félicie still cares for him, Victor saves his best friend and the criminals are incapacitated with the unexpected help of Samuel. To celebrate the friends' reconciliation, Viola and Alice organize a party outside the Colosseum and give a special performance where Alice plays a love song on piano as Félicie and Victor dance romantically. Samuel realizes that his rival was more than what he assumed and paints a lovely portrait of the ongoing event. The combined efforts earn the competitors high awards from the spectators, with Samuel receiving first place in the art contests. Although Hubert congratulates the group, he does not seem happy. His discontent is revealed when news spread of the criminal outbreaks in Rome and tell of Dimitri, Desperado's true identity, conspiring against the competition. After Dimitri's arrest, the competition's co-director Eugene assumes the position of head director and promises greater safety under stricter management. Cast * Elle Fanning as Félicie Lebras Milliner, a star ballerina at the Paris Opera Ballet. * Jadon Sand as Victor François Xavier, an excitable young inventor and Félicie's best friend. Sand replaces Dane DaHaan/Nat Wolff from the original film. Jared S. Gilmore provides Victor's singing voice. * Raymond Boucher as Hubert, a junior reporter and Victor's long-time pen pal. * Josh Gad as Matty, Victor's engineering partner. (Replaces Tamir Kapelian) * Emma Watson as Viola and Alice, two twin musician sisters from London, England. * Gael García Bernal as Samuel, a charismatic Spanish artist and Victor's main rival. * Maddie Ziegler as Camille Le Haut, Félicie's former dance rival. * Carly Rae Jepsen as Odette, a cleaner and foster mother of Félicie. * Terrence Scammell as Louis Mérante, the choreographer of the Paris Opera Ballet. * Kate McKinnon as Régine Le Haut, the antagonist of the original film. (Voices Régine in both the US and international English versions) * James Earl Jones as Dimitri Nilovich Rankovsky II, the chief director of the European Invitational Dream Competition. * Leonardo DiCaprio as Eugene Lateur, the co-director of the European Invitational Dream Competition. * Liam Neeson as Sir Gregory Innes, the EIDC scorekeeper and contest regulator. Soundtrack The film soundtrack album was released on June 16, 2024, a week before the movie's theatrical release. It features twelve vocal songs written by Lin-Minuel Miranda and Raymond Boucher, including a cover of "Dream" from the 2021 Broadway musical adaptation of the original movie (which does not appear in the actual film), and a brand new score by Klaus Badelt, composer of the previous movie's soundtrack. Unlike the first movie, the vocal songs are written to reflect characters and scenes in the story, in order to address criticisms drawn toward the original film's vocal pop songs mismatching with the late 19th-century setting. 1. Dream (Lin-Minuel Miranda Ver.) - Lin-Minuel Miranda, Company 2. On the Horizon - Raymond Boucher, Lin-Minuel Miranda 3. Grand New Adventure (The Marching Song) - Raymond Boucher, Jared S. Gilmore, Elle Fanning, Maddie Ziegler, Carly Rae Jepsen, Josh Gad, Company 4. The Little Music Twins - Emma Watson 5. Try Hard - Gael García Bernal, Jared S. Gilmore, Josh Gad, Emma Watson 6. Perfect Criminals - Kate McKinnon, James Earl Jones 7. Love Never Far Apart - Emma Watson, Elle Fanning, Jared S. Gilmore 8. This Storm - Raymond Boucher 9. On the Horizon (Reprise) - Dream Team (Elle Fanning, Jared S. Gilmore, Josh Gad, Gael García Bernal, Emma Watson, minus Raymond Boucher), Lin-Minuel Miranda, Company 10. Grand New Adventure (Reprise) - Tamir Kapelian, Dream Team, Company 11. A Distant Harmony - Dream Team, Company 12. Sunrise - Lin-Minuel Miranda